by Helen Langdon
And so, Inside No 9 came to an end with not a whimper, or a bang, but instead the muffled screams of a tied-up half-naked teenager.
And so, Inside No 9 came to an end with not a whimper, or a bang, but instead the muffled screams of a tied-up half-naked teenager.
When the series was first announced, everyone expected more of these kinds of episodes, overt horrors drawing on traditional tropes. What instead we got were stories where horror came creeping in at the edges, building up slowly. The Hammer Studios feel here is present from the very beginning, with the house itself as much a character here as any of the human ones. It’s your standard horror-movie location, down to the chilly temperature, disturbing paintings and strange shadows that could conceal anything. There’s even a stuffed cat which later ends up being real, running across the room to startle our heroines. But it’s not just a straight horror – a large part of this episode is the comedy, whether that’s Reece Shearsmith’s timing when asked about he who walks backward (“No... not Michael Jackson”) or Katy’s response to being told she’s about to become a vessel for a demon (“Fuck off”).
Katy is an interesting choice for a horror heroine. Why she’d been chosen as a sacrifice was never really made clear, which works in the episode’s favour. They didn’t go down the clichéd route of her suitability being reliant on her virginity, which would have felt tired and boring. Instead, it’s left ambiguous as to what Tabitha was told about Katy. “Strong-willed” appears to be the main criteria, but what does that even mean? We never find out, and that’s more unnerving than a definitive answer. Katy is just so normal, especially juxtaposed against the bizarre siblings and brash Shell, that she grounds the story in reality. And Aimee-Ffion Edwards is trying her best, but... well, she’s quite obviously about ten years older than her character is supposed to be. Her voice is high and breathy as if to compensate for this, but it just sounds forced.
Katy is an interesting choice for a horror heroine. Why she’d been chosen as a sacrifice was never really made clear, which works in the episode’s favour. They didn’t go down the clichéd route of her suitability being reliant on her virginity, which would have felt tired and boring. Instead, it’s left ambiguous as to what Tabitha was told about Katy. “Strong-willed” appears to be the main criteria, but what does that even mean? We never find out, and that’s more unnerving than a definitive answer. Katy is just so normal, especially juxtaposed against the bizarre siblings and brash Shell, that she grounds the story in reality. And Aimee-Ffion Edwards is trying her best, but... well, she’s quite obviously about ten years older than her character is supposed to be. Her voice is high and breathy as if to compensate for this, but it just sounds forced.
The ambiguity around Katy expands into the entire situation. It’s never entirely clear if Andras’ possession is real or not, although there’s evidence that points in both directions. Firstly, who was it who decided that Andras was possessed in the first place? The siblings’ parents, who are conspicuously absent even from the photo? Or this mysterious church that Tabitha and Shell belong to? And what was the evidence that pointed to possession, as opposed to a mental disorder? All of the other episodes have taken place fully in the real world, with any supernatural elements explained away as hallucinations. Why should that change for the final episode? But then there’s Andras’ appearance, all cracked lips and cloven feet. If he’s been confined to the bed for fifty years, you’d expect muscle wastage and bed sores, as well as the twisted toenails. Instead, he’s awfully spry. As he advances on Katy in the last few minutes, we’re left to wonder exactly what will happen. By not giving a definitive answer, it avoids pinning the episode down, but equally, the length of his approach makes it feel like something else should follow. It would have worked better if the approach had been under a minute in length, and so felt like a proper ending.
While the episode had a couple of problems, it was still good. Not as good as a few of the earlier episodes, but there’s not been a single dud in the entire bunch. Part of this has been down to the direction of David Kerr, which has been outstanding. Each story has had its own tone, which he’s reflected through each individual location having a definite character. And then there’s the way he’s shot the episodes, varying camera set-ups and shot types to allow the scripts and actors to shine in the best way. Hopefully he’ll be returning for the second series, which was announced before the first one had even begun airing. Another six episodes are scheduled to enter production this autumn. If you can’t quite wait that long, never fear – the DVD of series one is released on 17th March.
While the episode had a couple of problems, it was still good. Not as good as a few of the earlier episodes, but there’s not been a single dud in the entire bunch. Part of this has been down to the direction of David Kerr, which has been outstanding. Each story has had its own tone, which he’s reflected through each individual location having a definite character. And then there’s the way he’s shot the episodes, varying camera set-ups and shot types to allow the scripts and actors to shine in the best way. Hopefully he’ll be returning for the second series, which was announced before the first one had even begun airing. Another six episodes are scheduled to enter production this autumn. If you can’t quite wait that long, never fear – the DVD of series one is released on 17th March.
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